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xolotl: a fast and flexible neuronal simulator

xolotl is a fast single-compartment and multi-compartment simulator written in C++ with a MATLAB interface that you'll actually enjoy using.

Why use xolotl? This is why:


xolotl is FAST

xolotl is written in C++, and it's fast. In our testing, it's more than 3 times faster than NEURON for single compartment neurons.


xolotl is easy to use

Want to set up a Hodgkin-Huxley model, inject current, integrate it and plot the voltage trace? This is all you need:

x = xolotl;
x.add('compartment', 'HH','A', 0.01);
x.HH.add('liu/NaV', 'gbar', 1000);
x.HH.add('liu/Kd', 'gbar', 300);
x.HH.add('Leak', 'gbar', 1);
x.I_ext = .2;
x.plot;

xolotl has documentation

Unlike certain widely used NEURON simulators that shall remain nameless, xolotl has documentation that actually... exists.

This is what it looks like:


xolotl lets you do this

xolotl lets you manipulate any parameter in any model and view the effects of changing that parameter in real time


xolotl is fully programmable

xolotl is designed to be used from within MATLAB. It gives you the best of both worlds: the high performance of C++ compiled code with the rich power of all the toolboxes MATLAB has to offer. You can:

  • write functions that pass models as arguments
  • optimize parameters of neuron models using the Global Optimization Toolbox
  • run simulations in parallel across multiple computers
  • have a single script to run the simulation and analyze results

Hooked? Check out the quickstart to see how easy it is to use.